Any ideas ? Bppv

I started with BPPV when i rolled over in bed one night.  I then had a couple more episodes spread a few months apart.  Once you have a problem with your inner ear it affects every aspect of your balance and visual perception and takes time to regain whilst the brain compensates, so anything from following a line of text, to bright lights, to someone moving their hands about takes it's toll on perception.  Hopefully you are on the mend but perhaps it might be best to ask your GP to refer you.

I'm not sure if there's a big difference in symptoms between BPPB and VN (vestibular neuritis). I'm treating mine as if it were the latter, but I have to wait to find out for sure when I see a specialist at the end of the month.

But my main symptom is spinning or dizziness plus nausea for several seconds at a time, about 5 times a day now. Sometimes I take meclazine if the nausea lingers. Mostly I depend on the Elpay maneuver daily (holding head in specific positions for 1 minute). I AM able to work on the computer with no problem. My Physical Therapist says that's because I'm focused on one thing, not moving the head much. I can also read for the same reason--focused on one thing.

I do get dizzy in a busy supermarket or overstimulating visual. That might account for your dizziness when the person speaking to you was waving his hands around. Do you get dizzy if you just look into someone's eyes when talking? In that case, there would be no movement distracting you.

I've also pinpointed some things that can trigger a spell:  looking up, say at a high cabinet, quickly sitting up in bed or the dentist chair, and getting out of a chair quickly, pivoting to one side. When I walk on the street, I can move quickly but I don't swivel my head much, again looking straight ahead.

While I don't get overly depressed or have panic attacks, I do find, on a bad day, I am cranky and tired.

I hope some of this may be helpful to you.

Keith,

I have copied some info from a couple different web sites here to try to make it simpler for you to get a feel for what you have and what's going on and the fix.  If I give the web site the webmaster will not let this post, so don't think I'm a doctor or even smart, I just went there and read about this so many times I thought I would try to give you a condensed version of a lot of information. 

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) is the most common disorder of the inner ear’s vestibular system, which is a vital part of maintaining balance. BPPV is benign, meaning that it is not life-threatening nor generally progressive. BPPV produces a sensation of spinning called vertigo that is both paroxysmal and positional, meaning it occurs suddenly and with a change in head position

BPPV occurs as a result of otoconia, tiny crystals of calcium carbonate that are a normal part of the inner ear’s anatomy, detaching from the otolithic membrane in the utricle and collecting in one of the semicircular canals. When the head is still, gravity causes the otoconia to clump and settle ( When the head moves, the otoconia shift. This stimulates the cupula to send false signals to the brain, producing vertigo and triggering nystagmus (involuntary eye movements).

Subtypes of BPPV are distinguished by the particular semicircular canal involved and whether the detached otoconia are free floating within the affected canal (canalithiasis) or attached to the cupula, in the middle of the center bulge,at the base of the semicircular canal, where the nerve attaches, sort of like where roots are attached to plant.  When this happens it is called cupulothiasis. BPPV is typically unilateral, meaning it occurs either in the right or left ear, although in some cases it is bilateral, meaning both ears are affected. The most common form, accounting for 81% to 90% of all cases, is canalithiasis in the posterior semicircular canal.

The fix recommended for most forms of BPPV employs particle repositioning head maneuvers that move the displaced otoconia out of the affected semicircular canal. These maneuvers involve a specific series of patterned head and trunk movements that can be performed in a health care provider’s office in about 15 minutes. There are several types of maneuvers to be used depending upon where the crystals that are out of place are located.  Try googling "BPPV repositioning maneuvers".

I hope this helps you out and that you keep faith.  If you have been diagnosed accurately and indeed have BPPV it is a lot better than having Vestibular Neuritis (VN).  VN is a real bummer, it takes a very long time to get over.

Feel better soon.

Ben  

On a side thought, did you have any type of infection, especially in the ear before all this started? Only reason I ask is because it’s not uncommon for that to trigger vertigo. This form of vertigo is usually associated with labyrinthitis and in most cases clears up within a few weeks or months after the first onset. 

Any form of vertigo I feel could be made worse being at the computer, especially if you’re looking up and down a lot like you mentioned. I've never had vertigo start just from talking to others though. Usually bppv starts when you first get out of bed or move from looking down to up quickly. At least that’s what I’m use too. These movements usually cause ear rocks to move which is what causes bppv dizziness. Good luck and let us know how you make out at the doctors. 

I had my first spell of dizziness in 2015.

After I performed a self-diagnosis and realized that it had to be BPPV I went to a physiotherapist, who did the Epley manoeuver. After two sessions within 3 days my dizziness had disappeared completely, provided I did not provoke it by tilting my head far upwards or by turning my head on its right side while lying in bed.

Since then, I have had real attacks approximately once a year.

However, I have also noticed that I have become a bit unstable due to vague dizziness under different circumstances.

I avoid driving as much as possible, since moving objects, e.g. cars, can also trigger dizziness.

So, I am still looking for a real cure, as opposed to the Epley manoeuver that has been very helpful in eliminating acute dizziness temporarily, but is not a cure.

Therefore, I was very pleased to read the feedback of a BPPV patient in which he claimed that taking a 200 mcg vitamin K2 supplement daily for approx. 2 months fully eliminated his BPPV.

Since vitamin K2 is known to help in dissolving calcium depositis and stones and subsequently transporting the calcium to bones and teeth it seems logical that K2 can help to eliminate the 'stones' in the inner ear that cause BPPV. If these stones are gone (dissolved) they can't trigger wrong signals and vertigo anymore.

After reading that feedback I started to take K2 about two weeks ago. It is still too soon to draw any conclusions.

I will report back in another six weeks.